Thinking of buying a Macbook

[fabiamk2SE]

Hey.

Anybody on here clued up about such things?

I don't want another windows, the latest operating system does my head in, seems more about appearance than practicality. I haven't really liked windows since XP tbh. Plus the life span seems to be about 3-4 years.

So I'm looking at a MacBook. I don't need it for anything straining, no gaming or anything like that. Just documents, music, on demand TV etc etc.

I've looked through the range of products, like the look of the new MacBook. Looks brilliant but uses a mobile processor, lack of inputs etc, more like an iPad with a keyboard is it not?

So it's between the Air and the Pro. I believe the Air uses low power processors, and the pro is the only one using full power dual core processors.

So which would you recommend? I don't mind spending the money, but can't really justify much over £1k tbh.

I do get abit confused though. Which would you recommend between the 2? Is the pro worth the extra?

I want it to last. 10 years or more would be nice.

Cheers!

[Chris]

I also think screen size comes into it. If I'm right only the pro comes in proper laptop size screen, the air is only available with a 13" screen..

[fabiamk2SE]

I also think screen size comes into it. If I'm right only the pro comes in proper laptop size screen, the air is only available with a 13" screen..

The air comes in 11 and 13" and the Pro comes in 13 and 15" mate.

I think 13" is the size for me, but I haven't been to a shop and had a proper look yet tbh. 11" is abit on the small side anyway isn't it?

[Mort]

Your usage requirements scream 'just buy the new look MacBook' to be honest. I just bought the new MacBook Pro 15" with retina and the dedicated Gfx card as I wanted something mobile to replace my iMac for graphics work.

If you just want word processing and Internet I'm pretty sure the standard MacBook will handle that with a breeze.

[fabiamk2SE]

Your usage requirements scream 'just buy the new look MacBook' to be honest. I just bought the new MacBook Pro 15" with retina and the dedicated Gfx card as I wanted something mobile to replace my iMac for graphics work.

If you just want word processing and Internet I'm pretty sure the standard MacBook will handle that with a breeze.

Hmm I know what you're saying. But there's a distinct lack of ports with the standard MacBook, the displays not up to a great lot from what I can gather and the mobile processor concerns me if I'm honest.

With the processor being like it is, is it going to be abit slow in years to come? I don't know if Macs slow down like windows do?

My thinking was a full bore i5 processor should stay on top of the job for years?

Oh, Id like an SD card slot too for my camera card really.

[fabiamk2SE]

Also, the standard MacBook isn't any cheaper than a higher spec, less fancy looking but more functional Pro.

It does look nice, but functionality over looks for me, unless it was considerably cheaper

[exFiesta]

Do you travel much with the laptop?

I've a MacBook Pro 15inch from somewhere around last May. I find it powerful enough to cope with anything I need, I don't do heavy gaming - but it handles the ones I've tried reasonably.

It's much lighter than some of the bricks I've had in the past, but If I were lugging it around all day I'd choose a lighter one, an air or MacBook - if you're definitely wanting to Mac it.

Pretty much all the processors will cope with light usage, word processing, music, movies well. You may even manage a light, simple laptop for travelling (air) and a more powerful desktop within the budget of one 'super' MacBook pro.

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[fabiamk2SE]

Do you travel much with the laptop?

I've a MacBook Pro 15inch from somewhere around last May. I find it powerful enough to cope with anything I need, I don't do heavy gaming - but it handles the ones I've tried reasonably.

It's much lighter than some of the bricks I've had in the past, but If I were lugging it around all day I'd choose a lighter one, an air or MacBook - if you're definitely wanting to Mac it.

Pretty much all the processors will cope with light usage, word processing, music, movies well. You may even manage a light, simple laptop for travelling (air) and a more powerful desktop within the budget of one 'super' MacBook pro.

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Cheers for that (: size and weight isn't a massive issue as if I'm travelling I'd be in the fabia anyway. So Defo function and power over size.

Which means another vote for the pro, right?

Just want a do it all laptop, plenty of power and well built, which will last many years

[exFiesta]

Cheers for that (: size and weight isn't a massive issue as if I'm travelling I'd be in the fabia anyway. So Defo function and power over size.

Which means another vote for the pro, right?

Just want a do it all laptop, plenty of power and well built, which will last many years

Yep, with as much spec as you can get in your budget

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[Dr Zoidberg]

Reviews of the 12 inch MacBook have been iffy at best. It's basically underpowered.

[gadgetman]

Don't forget windows 10 devices will be in the shops soon. It may change your mind on Windows as Microsoft have gone back to a more windows 7 like interface.

[domhnall]

left of field suggestion, but have a look at Chromebooks - I got one on ebay for £99 even came with 2 years of 1tb google drive storage.  I've been hugely impressed for all the sort of things which you described as being your requirements

[Auric Goldfinger]

I have a Late 2011 13" Macbook Pro, never missed a beat. I also have a Mini iPad, the wife has a iPad Air, we both have ipones. Everything runs very smoothly and they all sync with each other. The Operating System runs effortless and is stable.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

Do it, get one

[fabiamk2SE]

Cheers for the feedback!

I do have an iPhone, iPad mini and Apple TV. All of which works well, which is why I'm thinkin Mac. Okay they aren't cheap, but buy cheap buy twice n all that!

Just the prices confuse me a little. You can get a Less powerful stuff (standard MacBook, air) for the same price as a pro if you spec them up. I can't see why you'd do that.. Haha

[Auric Goldfinger]

Just to add, Apple Customer Services are second to none ( My opinion of course )

 

Also have you tried a Refurbished Mac Book, most are ex display or returns. Nothing wrong with them and they have the same guarantee as a new one and have been through the apple workshop and most parts are replaced making them good value.

 

Check out the Apple Store web site and have a look

[ColinD]

Systems have not been cpu bound for years now. What catches us out now in usage is ram and disk. tO compare, I have three machines for test, a 2006 MAC PRO, 4x2.66Ghz, a generic component pc  i3 2### ghz and a i5 3### for what I do, development, docs, spreadsheets, streaming, there is no difference in real usage. The only difference is in compiling code and cpu intensive tasks. All of them run out of ram eventually. To complete this, take a sngle core pentium IV,  I can still use that with linux to get stuff done... the real 'speed' of late has come from SSD, RAM and other bus communications...

 

Disk storage; lack of,  is easy to solve, you buy a 128Gig SD card or plugin USB3 drive caddy.

 

Ram is much harder, especially on closed, soldered systems. i.e. latest gen mac laptops. 8Gb should suffice for a long time, unless you're a power user.

 

In theory laptops backed by the SSD drives should not worry to much when ram is exhausted; you've opened on wafer thin chrome tab too many, as the ram/swap etc will turn to the disk which is also fast.

 

Here's the crack, buy into apple, if you want stuff to work. Accept you're paying more, and you will pay more. Get apple care too, especially for the newer models that are simply sealed boxes of risk.

 

Windows 10 is out, it has it's fans and haters. I'm yet to check it out on a test surface pro. This is also an option, as once you use a touch screen the new windows os's make much more sense.

 

Personally I've used windows, mac and linux. Of late I run two linux distributions on thinkpads. Ubuntu and elementryOS, both work mostly out of the box ( small niggles ), but are free. So...

 

A thinkpad on ebay similar specs to a macbook will be 200-300, another 100 on ram and a one of those OS's and your off on another option path. But while you're saving, you're going to spend time making things work.

 

Of the mac options, I'd say go with an AIR. I had a 4Gb one that performed well enough for development till I began frequently hitting the ram usage. It's light, well powered and will hold it's value in 2 or 3 years. It will work, apps will install and run, you'll close it and open it and it will be ready. Plug it into the TV to run photo slideshows, stream films etc...

 

HTH.

[seboni121]

I have a Late 2011 13" Macbook Pro, never missed a beat. I also have a Mini iPad, the wife has a iPad Air, we both have ipones. Everything runs very smoothly and they all sync with each other. The Operating System runs effortless and is stable.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

Do it, get one

THIS!

[James3107]

The display on the new MacBook is easily the best of the three. I went to Apple last week to have a plan on one. The ports were an issue for me as I will be using it for uni and need to connect

To hdmi for the projectors. However. The guy showed me the adapter that can be bought that supports usb hdmi and FireWire I think. More than capable and the new screen quality is outstanding.

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[James3107]

Oh and it's thin, very very thin.

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[fabiamk2SE]

Systems have not been cpu bound for years now. What catches us out now in usage is ram and disk. tO compare, I have three machines for test, a 2006 MAC PRO, 4x2.66Ghz, a generic component pc i3 2### ghz and a i5 3### for what I do, development, docs, spreadsheets, streaming, there is no difference in real usage. The only difference is in compiling code and cpu intensive tasks. All of them run out of ram eventually. To complete this, take a sngle core pentium IV, I can still use that with linux to get stuff done... the real 'speed' of late has come from SSD, RAM and other bus communications...

Disk storage; lack of, is easy to solve, you buy a 128Gig SD card or plugin USB3 drive caddy.

Ram is much harder, especially on closed, soldered systems. i.e. latest gen mac laptops. 8Gb should suffice for a long time, unless you're a power user.

In theory laptops backed by the SSD drives should not worry to much when ram is exhausted; you've opened on wafer thin chrome tab too many, as the ram/swap etc will turn to the disk which is also fast.

Here's the crack, buy into apple, if you want stuff to work. Accept you're paying more, and you will pay more. Get apple care too, especially for the newer models that are simply sealed boxes of risk.

Windows 10 is out, it has it's fans and haters. I'm yet to check it out on a test surface pro. This is also an option, as once you use a touch screen the new windows os's make much more sense.

Personally I've used windows, mac and linux. Of late I run two linux distributions on thinkpads. Ubuntu and elementryOS, both work mostly out of the box ( small niggles ), but are free. So...

A thinkpad on ebay similar specs to a macbook will be 200-300, another 100 on ram and a one of those OS's and your off on another option path. But while you're saving, you're going to spend time making things work.

Of the mac options, I'd say go with an AIR. I had a 4Gb one that performed well enough for development till I began frequently hitting the ram usage. It's light, well powered and will hold it's value in 2 or 3 years. It will work, apps will install and run, you'll close it and open it and it will be ready. Plug it into the TV to run photo slideshows, stream films etc...

HTH.

Cheers Colin.

The air does look nice. Think I'll nip into a shop and have a look at them properly this afternoon.

All I'm thinking is the differences that interest me are this...

Air:

Standard screen

1.6 ghz processor

4gb ram

For £150 more than the 13inch air, the Pro gets:

Retina display

2.7 ghz processor

8gb ram

Does that seem a no brainer? Or am I thinking overkill?

[fabiamk2SE]

The display on the new MacBook is easily the best of the three. I went to Apple last week to have a plan on one. The ports were an issue for me as I will be using it for uni and need to connect

To hdmi for the projectors. However. The guy showed me the adapter that can be bought that supports usb hdmi and FireWire I think. More than capable and the new screen quality is outstanding.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

On the standard MacBook? Even though it's not retina?

I really need to go look at the range haha

[James3107]

On the standard MacBook? Even though it's not retina?

I really need to go look at the range haha

The new 12" MacBook has a retina screen

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[fabiamk2SE]

The new 12" MacBook has a retina screen

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Ooh yeah! Haha. Didn't think it did for some reason

Just the air that doesn't then?

[Mort]

The Air won't exist soon. Might be worth considering. All the USP of the air has been blown out the water with the new MacBook. So I'd expect to see the Air retired around October time.

[fabiamk2SE]

The Air won't exist soon. Might be worth considering. All the USP of the air has been blown out the water with the new MacBook. So I'd expect to see the Air retired around October time.

The line up would make more sense then tbh.

Anybody any idea if there's a new Pro due out? The design n what not has been the same for s while hasn't it? Just updated specs mainly from what I can gather